PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Husein Magomaevaboff (ranked 375 p4p, 109 weight class) and Afeef Isa Baba (ranked 54 p4p, 11 weight class). Magomaevaboff comes to the cage accompanied by AMV ShutEmDown. Baba has chosen Nation Arabic Orchestra as his entrance music. Afeef Isa Baba told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Magomaevaboff
vs
Baba

183 cm
23
180
7 - 6 - 0

181 cm
42
172
29 - 13 - 2

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Husein Magomaevaboff!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 29 - 13 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Afeef Isa Baba!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Phil Schofield and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A looping hook to the body misses from Baba. Magomaevaboff does a little dance to reset his feet.
Magomaevaboff dips to his left and cracks Baba with an uppercut!
Magomaevaboff moves into range and connects with a jab.

It looks like Afeef Isa Baba has been cut.
Magomaevaboff lands a jab to Baba's midsection.
Baba lands an overhand right.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Baba - that will leave a mark!
Magomaevaboff uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Baba.

Baba tries to keep at a distance but Magomaevaboff has taken the fight into the clinch.
Baba's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
A short body shot lands from Magomaevaboff as the two fighters clinch.
Baba has had enough of the clinch but Magomaevaboff keeps him there for the moment.
Magomaevaboff tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Baba's elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baba tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Magomaevaboff tries a body shot but Baba blocks it.
A short left from Magomaevaboff.
Magomaevaboff misses with the head strike.
Baba fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Baba blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Magomaevaboff tries a body shot but Baba blocks it.
Magomaevaboff keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Baba's efforts to push away.
Baba lands a left hand.
Magomaevaboff tries to work over Baba's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Baba swings wildly with an uppercut but Magomaevaboff uses good head movement to avoid it.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Magomaevaboff.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Baba.
Baba working aggressively here.
Magomaevaboff lands a shoulder strike.
Baba wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Magomaevaboff has him pressed against the cage.
Magomaevaboff tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Baba can't break the clinch.
Magomaevaboff is struggling to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baba digs a right hand into Magomaevaboff's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Magomaevaboff's gas tank.
Baba blocking some punches.
Magomaevaboff blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Magomaevaboff tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Baba tries a body shot but Magomaevaboff blocks it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Magomaevaboff.
Baba misses with a shot to the kidneys.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Magomaevaboff scores with a shoulder strike.
Magomaevaboff tries to throw a body punch but Baba avoids it by throwing Magomaevaboff back against the cage.
Magomaevaboff lands a nice uppercut.
Magomaevaboff misses with an elbow strike.
Magomaevaboff blocks an uppercut.

Magomaevaboff jumps guard and drags Baba to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Magomaevaboff pulls Baba in close to prevent any damage.
Magomaevaboff continues to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baba slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Magomaevaboff manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Baba manages to get himself to full guard.

Magomaevaboff trying to control but Baba is working from the bottom.
Magomaevaboff controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Magomaevaboff pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Baba is keeping the position for now.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Magomaevaboff wants to control from the top but Baba keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Magomaevaboff trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Magomaevaboff slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
More hug and hope from Magomaevaboff.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Husein Magomaevaboff dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Afeef Isa Baba's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Baba uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Magomaevaboff.
Magomaevaboff misses with a hook.
Baba swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Magomaevaboff scores with a kick to the body.
Magomaevaboff scores with a jab to the head.
Baba takes a swing at Magomaevaboff's ribcage but misses.
Baba misses with a looping left.
Magomaevaboff walks forward, straight into a front kick from Baba.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Magomaevaboff misses with a hook.
Baba loads up on a big right hand but Magomaevaboff slips the punch.
Baba wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Magomaevaboff is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Baba can do to turn this around?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Magomaevaboff avoids the head kick by Baba.
A nice leg kick from Magomaevaboff, right into the meat of the thigh.
Magomaevaboff lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Magomaevaboff closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Husein Magomaevaboff is winning the standup battle so far.
Magomaevaboff walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Magomaevaboff is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Baba.
Baba doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
A slapping leg kick lands for Magomaevaboff.
Magomaevaboff seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Baba checks the leg kick nicely there.
It seemed like Baba was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Baba checks the leg kick nicely there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baba lands with a nice body punch.
Baba tries to move into range but Magomaevaboff moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Magomaevaboff lands with a nice body kick.
Magomaevaboff throws a body kick that misses.
Magomaevaboff looks to land a body kick but Baba moved away.
Baba swings and misses with a shot to the body
letting Magomaevaboff counter with a right hand.
Magomaevaboff swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Magomaevaboff misses with a body kick.
Baba pushes Magomaevaboff away with a front kick.
Magomaevaboff moves out of range of the body kick from Baba.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Magomaevaboff lands with a shot to the body.
Magomaevaboff throws a leg kick but Baba moved away.
Both fighters circling a little - Baba finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Baba takes a swing at Magomaevaboff's ribcage but misses.
Magomaevaboff sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Magomaevaboff moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Magomaevaboff blocks a jab.
Magomaevaboff cracks Baba with a right hand to the side of the head.
Magomaevaboff misses with a body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Magomaevaboff bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Magomaevaboff avoids a kick to the body.
Magomaevaboff lands a nice hook to Baba's body. Baba takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Magomaevaboff swings for the body but Baba moves out of range.
Magomaevaboff swinging wildly here.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Magomaevaboff with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Baba misses with a series of wild punches.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Husein Magomaevaboff dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Afeef Isa Baba's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Magomaevaboff throws a leg kick but Baba checks it.
Baba looks to throw the jab but Magomaevaboff is out of range.
Baba scores with a spinning back kick!
A jab from Magomaevaboff does it's job there.
Baba shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Baba lands with a straight right. Magomaevaboff didn't see that one coming.
Magomaevaboff throws a leg kick that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Magomaevaboff wants to clinch
and Baba cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Magomaevaboff misses with an attempted mid kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baba throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Baba scores with a spinning back kick!
Magomaevaboff explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Baba jabs at Magomaevaboff's body.
Magomaevaboff looks for the body kick but Baba saw that one coming.
Baba digs a good hook to Magomaevaboff's body.
Jab by Magomaevaboff.
An inside leg kick from Magomaevaboff misses.
Baba misses with a wild combination.
Afeef Isa Baba has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baba jabs Magomaevaboff to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Baba misses with the combination.
Baba misses with a wild body shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Magomaevaboff avoids the body shot from Baba.
Magomaevaboff appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Magomaevaboff will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Baba throws a big shot that misses.
Baba misses with a looping right.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baba thuds his shin into the meat of Magomaevaboff's side.
Magomaevaboff is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Magomaevaboff avoids the head kick by Baba.
Magomaevaboff was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Magomaevaboff misses with a straight left.
Baba throws a hook to the side of Magomaevaboff's head but Magomaevaboff sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Magomaevaboff is looking to counter punch.
Magomaevaboff throws a low kick, looking for Baba's leg but Baba calmly moves out of range.
Magomaevaboff defending well as Baba loads up on a big left hand.
An attempted straight right counter from Magomaevaboff misses the target.
A shot to the liver by Baba. Beautiful body shot.
Magomaevaboff slips a straight right by Baba.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baba walks into a jab.
Baba misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Magomaevaboff misses with a looping left.
Magomaevaboff wants to clinch.
Magomaevaboff throws a looping overhand right but Baba ducks down to avoid it.
Baba raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Magomaevaboff throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
The fighters circling - Magomaevaboff throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

And that's the end of the fight!
Afeef Isa Baba comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Magomaevaboff has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge James Glass scores the fight 29:28
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 29:28
Judge William Gold scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Husein Magomaevaboff!
After the fight, Husein Magomaevaboff was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.